7/17/2022 - Closing the 2022 Season with a Great Flanders TT

As has happened many years, we started preparation and details for our TTs over the winter. Four(4) of them in the books and all outstanding events. Can't thank this team enough for the work done, in addition to others who have stepped up outside our team and assisted to help things run smoothly + sponsors of course. At least for New Jersey TTs and Somerset promotions, 2022 is in the books. Yesterday was another stellar effort and would like to personally thank all of the group who made it possible yesterday:

And, of course, our prizes yesterday specifically were made possible via PowerBar and Pops Bike Shop. The lower turnout this season overall with TTs was balanced out by great support from sponsors with prizes to keep our budget in line.A summary thank you to all this year that helped as a few of our staple volunteers (Ken, Manny, Rod, Mike B) could not make it yesterday. 2023 is a ways off and still to be constructed, but this year's events were a great success due to this team. Enjoy rest of summer!!
Chuck

6/30/2022 - Team Store is Open

The team store is Open!!! There are many items for summer and fall riding. We have added the Stars and Stripes option for those that have earned a National Championship. Please be careful when ordering in that you do not order an item with the Stars and Stripes by mistake. They are not returnable.

The team store link is – https://teamstore.pactimo.com/stores/team-somerset-pops-bike-shop/show

The team store is open and is set to close July 14th.

All sales are final once they are placed. Our team Account Manager (Alison Sisson) has the ability to go in and adjust SIZES while the team store is OPEN, but she cannot adjust QUANTITIES. If team members decide they want additional items, they must submit a second order.

SIZING AND FITTING Links

Please use these tools! “I’m usually a large in cycling gear” or “I wear an XL tee shirt” is not useful in determining your size with Pactimo as other vendors and clothing manufacturers tend to size larger than we do.

Size and Fit Charts https://www.pactimo-custom.com/pages/custom-cycling-clothing-size-chart

Call 800-801-9869 to speak to a fit expert during our business hours 8:30-5 mountain time

The team store will close at Midnight on July 14th. Once the store is closed, no additional orders can be accepted. At that point all orders will go into Production and the 5 week delivery time frame begins. Items purchased within the team store are not put into production until the entire store closes, not calculated 5 weeks according to the order date.

Our store has individual shipping. Please verify your shipping address. All shipments are delivered via Fed Ex, and cannot go to a PO Box.

Robert Kowal

6/26/2022 - Flanders July 16 TT Support

Hope all are enjoying this summer weekend and happy summer to all. I wanted to reach back out to the team before making more specific contact. Currently, I have 3-4 offers to help out for the Flanders TT. I will need several more to get the right level of coverage on the road. Also, I will need some additional help this race with set up for anyone available. Summer is always a little difficult, but hoping to make our last promotion this year successful and safe. Ideally, I like 7-8 marshals and will also need some support in calling #s at the start. If you have a couple of hours that Saturday morning, would be appreciated. Also, as I understand it, River Rd is being paved.This, as long as all is finished in time, is great news on the one section of the course that was quite dicey..

Look forward to connecting and let me know if you can help out. Thanks so much and enjoy rest of weekend.
Chuck

6/12/2022 - Flanders TT Support - Saturday July 16

Hope all are enjoying summer as it starts to kick into gear. We are about 5 weeks out to Flanders TT, our last promotion for 2022. I wanted to reach out early and see who may be able to support the event to volunteer/marshal, etc. Flanders does not require what we had at Somerset, but still I like having a usual start crew (holder, Whip) and generally 7-8 marshals. The extra help really needed on the left turn at Drakestown and at bottom of River Rd. As we've done a great job this season, as always, would like to close things out in style for the year. Would like to gauge our overall support before reaching out more individually if necessary.

Thanks so much for all your help and enjoy rest of the weekend,
Chuck

5/15/2022 - Thanks for Great Somerset Circuit TT 2022

So I joined the team 2005 and became immersed in helping to run events in 2007. Haven't physically missed more than 1-2 of them since that time, but yesterday I couldn't be at the race unfortunately. That being said, the team is an awesome one and can clearly run it flawlessly without me!! Thanks so much for making our 3rd event this year a success and I heard that from riders directly as well. I am on to setting up the process for Flanders in July, but want to appropriately thank and call out yesterday's support.

Somerset Circuit TT is complex with the amount of transitions/turns and help needed. It also has a few more touch points for pre-race organization locally, but the township, county and school are great. I would like to formally thank (apologies in advance for anyone/anything I missed):

Collective thanks again to a great team and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Chuck

5/1/2022 + 4/25/2022 - Somerset Circuit TT on May 14

I always like to give everyone some space between our events, but since the Somerset TT is our large need for volunteers, I just want to put a feeler out there for May 14. I have a handful on-board already, but with 7-8 turns and a bridge, can never have enough team support. I'll follow more closely as we get closer, but if you are available that day, and haven't responded, please let me know. Likely 90 minute commitment early that Saturday morning. After that we have a several month break and Flanders does not have that the same resource need in total. Somerset TT is our home race and still my favorite in the Cup, so hope you can help out.

Thanks,
Chuck

4/23/2022 - Thanks for a Successful Allamuchy TT

As our 2nd event was put in the books for 2022, just a note of thanks to all. A team effort, as we strive for, and and are accustomed to. Weather cooperated and a generally smooth event in all facets, so your help is greatly appreciated. In terms of our specific help today, it may sound like a broken record, but I want to first thank Dottie and Joe Saling, as always, for covering a lot of bases. Being my sounding board, sanity check, and also setting up the course, roll out, take down, and doing a variety of items around the Pavillion. Dottie also helped us with the myriad of paperwork needed and checks post event. Joe was also roving the course to ensure all was working as intended.

Thanks all and special mention to Eric Zaltas and Power Bar for the help with prizes, Bob Peters for his course design, and Betty Tyrell for helping at registration, prizes, and always bringing lots of goodies and cheer to the race.Two of our Four events are in the books, but always more on our agenda. That being said, let's savor another successful promotion and all the best to enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Here are the electronic results from the race today, which match what was posted. We'll look to format these on our website and also Jim Bernstein will load to USAC shortly.
My Race Results

Thanks,
Chuck

4/17/2022 - Team Somerset is Back at It - Allamuchy TT, Saturday April 23

Hope all enjoyed the nice holiday weekend for Easter and Passover. Some good riding weather, albeit a little cold and windy today. This Saturday is our 2nd team promotion at Allamuchy. As always, lots of pieces and support to ensure a successful team promotion and help is always appreciated. While I am at close to what I need, having another corner marshal or 2 on Saturday would be appreciated. Please let me know (if you haven't volunteered already) if you, a friend, or family member are available for 90 minutes Saturday morning. Weather reports bounce around, so certainly hope for a nice spring experience, but never guaranteed. Joe, myself, and others are working to ensure that the event is ready to roll on Saturday morning. Any questions, please let me know.

Thanks,
Chuck

4/5/2022 - Opening of the Regular Season and On to Somerset Events

A cold, windy, and wet (Sunday) is a traditional start to the NJ "regular" cycling season. Only fitting. Nice to see team members out in full force (link below) and performing at high levels during this first weekend at Cherry Blossom and the Sandy Hook Time Trial. As we digest the first hard weekend effort for all, we are on to Team Somerset's events starting this Sunday in Cape May at the Steve Reed Memorial, and several weeks out to Allamuchy TT on Saturday April 23. For anyone making the trip down, or thinking about it, Joe can always use additional race help. Also, for Allamuchy, I can still use a few more corner marshals if you are available for 90 minutes or so that day. Effort is always most appreciated to make our events safe and successful. TT turnouts have been a little lower, so time commitment is not great. Look forward to seeing the team out there and training/racing again as spring weather arrives (soon, we hope). The diversity in events, and everyone's schedules, has made group training and riding a challenge for us of course. However, now that the weather is getting better, I expect we'll see more rides and opportunities for this as everyone prepares and embarks on this season. See you all out there these next coming weekends.
View the Team's performance on the Results Page.

Thanks,
Chuck

3/21/2022 - Weeknight Training - Tuesday Nights

Hope all are doing well as Spring 2022 begins to arrive. We are in the midst of setting up our TT events as both the Spring Crit Series and TT Cup start. Have had a few conversations this past week and there is interest in trying to get a weeknight training ride together, preferably on Tuesday night. Wed night seems to be well captured with CRC of A and the Pharma ride up in Pluckemin. There are race efforts around in Rahway and Marlton during the week, and Augusta coming, but not a local team focused effort. I wanted to just put this out for some feelers. My work schedule late PM during the week has been a little unpredictable, so not always sure of my availability. However, Rick Anderson I know is interested and we were thinking of perhaps a start at Old York School 5:00ish Tuesdays. Also know that Rivervals are popular, but for something in the Somerville/Bridgewater area, let Rick know if you are interested. Getting even a half dozen riders makes this a nice training session.

When I joined the team (many years ago) we had Tuesday and Thursday night rides and the Thursday ride was a nice 90 minute effort with some group intervals. In recent years, some groups have gone out from Duke Island and Old York. Because of the weather and other events beginning to pop up on Sunday, the weekend ride hasn't materialized over this past winter. However, that may always be an open when Sundays are open.

Talk to you all soon as we start finalizing our support for races.

Thanks,
Chuck

3/6/2022 - Spring is Upon Us and Team Somerset Events

As March has come upon us, bike racing in NJ is back. Our April promotions are up for registration and wanted to gauge interest in supporting the team at Cape May (Steve Reed Memorial) on April 10 and Allamuchy TT on Saturday, April 23. Hope many are taking advantage of the wealth of events available in March to race - spring Series at Branch Brook NJ, Motorsport Park and Sussex later month. It's been a tough stretch for so many with the pandemic, and now world events. Look forward to getting back to things we enjoy and producing some successful race events.

Our team registration is up on Bike Reg for everyone, along with our team events for April. Your support is always appreciated, and certainly needed, or our races would never be able to be run successfully. If you are able to be available for marshaling, etc. at Allamuchy on April 23, please let me know. Please let Joe know if you can help out at all at Cape May on April 10.

We will be looking into a clothing order as well, and would love to get together as a full group, but more to come on that. I will also put a plug in for the CRC of A running TTs at Woodfern School on Sundays in April. Very timely before the NJ TT Cup Series starts in April. And, of course, as always, thanks to our sponsors.

Thanks and Hope all are well!
Chuck

2/25/2022 - Couple of Quick Team Updates

Hello All. As we get to the close of February, just wanted to send out a quick update. Our team membership for 2022 is live on Bike Reg. I was reminded to adjust it to be public. Also, our April events are live and up for registration (Steve Reed Memorial Time Trial and the Allamuchy Time Trial). Within the next week or so, I will connect to the team for Allamuchy volunteers, and Joe will be reaching out for any needs on the event in Cape May. April 10 and 23. Our other events this year are the Somerset Circuit TT (May 14) and also the Flanders TT (July 16). I was part of a team that conducted a webinar this week on time trials and think it will draw in some new riders. Look forward to the 2022 season. We are 1/2 of the NJ Time Trial Cup.

So please renew and/or create your team membership for this year, renew USAC license if you intend to race more than just the random event, and look out from some great NJ race events this year with TTs, criteriums and the Giro del Cielo stage race back. Enjoy the weekend. Weather has not really cooperated to get Sunday rides consistently moving forward, but I believe that March will be much better for some nice Sunday distance rides. I am racing the Double Trouble TT this Sunday, but all of March looks good for Sunday rides.

Thanks and all be well!!
Chuck

https://www.bikereg.com/somerset-wheelmen-membership2 (Membership)

https://www.bikereg.com/cape-may-time-trial (Steve Reed Memorial Time Trial)

https://www.bikereg.com/allamuchy-time-trial0 (Allamuchy Time Trail)

1/3/2022 - Happy Holidays and Looking Forward to 2022

Just wanted to wish everyone the best as we close out the holiday season and move on to a New Year 2022. I passed along some information on our FaceBook page regarding damage sustained by Noah Granigan at his place out in Boulder, Co. during the recent weather/storms. If you can support this effort, please do. All the best to Noah. 2022 still begins with a pandemic overshadowing many things, but we always look for bright spots. Our team kept the fire and torch of racing alive in 2021 with our Time Trial Cup Series honoring our team's anniversary, and also to get NJ racers back to competition after a somewhat dormant 2020.
Noah's GoFundMe page: Link

After recently talking with our board and organizers, we intend to continue in 2022 running our time trial events in Cape May, Allamuchy, Somerset, and Flanders. As you know, these don't happen without team support and our cohesiveness as a unit. That effort is always most appreciated and the racing community applauds us for these efforts in keeping things moving, and our impeccable organization. Pending approvals, we are expecting dates to be April 10, 23, May 14 and July 16. We'll begin work and planning on the April dates shortly and will be back in touch as we move toward events. Hoping several other Cup TT events fill out the schedule.

Couple of items to share. While we certainly want to continue the tradition of supporting and building juniors on our team, we are no longer either resourced to do so comprehensively and demand, overall, has been fairly low. That being said, we will always encourage both junior riders, and new team members in general, but we just made a decision to no longer attempt to manage a formal program requiring coaches, planning, etc. It's disappointing in some regards, but we had a long successful run from the early days of the team, to the program we built. As we see talent, and those interested in joining, we'll assess going forward.

I would also like to get our winter rides back in the fold on Sundays. Several have asked and, while it will be week to week with winter weather, having a placeholder on Sundays where we can at least meet or plan would be welcome again. Several of us messaged on Facebook and I will connect with individuals interested and some of last year's planners. Generally 10am from Readington School with the route that Will shared (our classic team loop) and 2-3 hours based on where one starts. Hope we can get a good core of riders during the winter as we prepare for yet another Somerset season. We'll start organizing next weekend.

A couple of final items. As the schedule unfolds, we'll consider a clothing order and I can work with Robert on soliciting needs, as well as Larry Dudek on membership renewals. We, of course, would like to get together as a group at some point again. However, for now, we'll let the pandemic still override that and do our best to meet up and ride and do things in smaller venues. And to close, want to, of course, thank Bob Perlee for keeping me on track with reminders and all his great work on our website and also a shout out to our sponsors that helped us so much last year with prizes and backing when overall attendance for events was low. It goes without saying, but Joe and Dottie Saling have been amazing with support, input, expertise, and overall enthusiasm for this sport and team.

Have a great 2022 everyone and look forward to seeing you soon.
Chuck